


Boon of Zeus

by MsThunderFrost



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Angry Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt Thanatos (Hades Video Game), Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Thanatos (Hades Video Game), Light Angst, M/M, Married Couple, Olympian Gods Looking Down on the Chthonic Gods, Racism, Soft Thanatos is Soft (Hades Video Game), Spoilers for Zeus' Dialogue (Hades Video Game), Zeus Being an Asshole (Hades Video Game), hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:33:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27365086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsThunderFrost/pseuds/MsThunderFrost
Summary: “Come now, lad. I know that your choices must be rather limited, being confined to that hellscape and all—but once you make it here, I’ll be sure to set you up with a partner worthy of the title of consort.”This is not the first time that his Lord Uncle Zeus has said something cruel (he hopes that it’s unintentional—not that that makes it better, per se, but it makes him a little less inclined to ruin the bond that he’d carefully cultivated over dozens of runs by giving the elder god a proper verbal lashing) about the Chthonic gods. Nyx had warned him that the Olympians looked down upon those in the Underworld, specifically their Chthonic colleagues, but that had not been his experience precisely. Most of the Olympians had been… curious about his birthright, but were not outright derogatory about his supposed lineage. Zeus, however—from their first meeting, he’d looked askance at Nyx, calling her ‘the closest thing to a Queen Hades was like to find in a place like that.’
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 530





	Boon of Zeus

“Come now, lad. I know that your choices must be rather _limited_ , being confined to that hellscape and all—but once you make it here, I’ll be sure to set you up with a partner worthy of the title of consort.” 

This is not the first time that his Lord Uncle Zeus has said something cruel (he hopes that it’s unintentional—not that that makes it better, per se, but it makes him a _little_ less inclined to ruin the bond that he’d carefully cultivated over dozens of runs by giving the elder god a proper verbal lashing) about the Chthonic gods. Nyx had warned him that the Olympians looked down upon those in the Underworld, specifically their Chthonic colleagues, but that had not been his experience precisely. Most of the Olympians had been… _curious_ about his birthright, but were not outright derogatory about his supposed lineage. Zeus, however—from their first meeting, he’d looked askance at Nyx, calling her ‘the closest thing to a Queen Hades was like to find in a place like _that_.’

He’d held his tongue at the time. It hadn’t felt _good_ , but he needed the thunder god’s help to escape. But now… _now_ he’s saying this shit in front of Thanatos. Granted, he cannot actually _see_ Thanatos. Hells, Zagreus isn’t even entirely sure that Zeus can see _him_. It’s more like… he knows that Zagreus is in the general vicinity. It doesn’t really matter. What _matters_ is that he’s about to claim his Boon of Zeus after besting Thanatos in one of their little competitions, and Thanatos is looking more and more uncomfortable as he listens to the King of the Olympians claim that he is unworthy of being Zagreus’ partner. 

They’d been married for _three_ days (days? nights? whatever…). He already _has_ a prince consort. He’s not in the market for another. And he certainly doesn’t need his Uncle setting him up with someone he’s never met—

“What’re you doing, Zag?” Thanatos frowns, “You know that the doors won’t unlock until you accept your reward—,”

There is too great a distance between Mt. Olympus and the verdant fields of Elysium to bother starting a fight. His relatives cannot see him, cannot _hear_ him… But he knows that Zeus is well-aware of his relationship with Thanatos. Both Aphrodite and Ares have commented on their romance in passing, and Aphrodite, at least, does not seem to know how to keep a secret. Not that he _wants_ to keep their marriage a secret. He’s more than proud to call Thanatos his husband, to overhear the shades calling the god of death by his new title of prince consort of the Underworld. But… _urgh_ … why does everything have to be so complicated? Why does he have to hold his tongue when all he wants to do is stand up for the one that he loves more than anything else in this world or the next?

He takes a bite out of the centaur heart, his face petulant. “I might not be able to leave here without taking one of his boons, but I can certainly make him wait. What’s a couple of extra minutes in the face of eternity?”

“It is… unwise to incur the wrath of your Olympian relatives. They have proven that they are more than capable of making your life miserable—,” Than smooths his thumb over a cut on his cheek, a remnant from an utterly disastrous god battle. Maybe it hadn’t been the smartest idea to slight the goddess of the hunt…

“Unwise? Maybe.” Zagreus concedes, “But… Blood and darkness, Than, I can’t just let him get away with talking about you like that. I might not be able to actually do anything about that, but… dammit, Than, let me have this.”

Than lets out a long-suffering sigh, “It’s… _cute_ that you want to defend my honor, Zag. But completely unnecessary.”

“Why? You’re my husband—and, despite what my Lord Uncle seems to think, I actually _do_ love you—,”

“I love you, too.” Much to Zagreus’ surprise, Thanatos materializes his scythe and gauntlet out of existence, and sits down in the glade alongside him. “But I knew what I was getting into when I married you. The few Olympians that I am forced to consort with on a regular basis treat me cordially. The others…”

“Still, you shouldn’t have had to hear that. No—he never should have _said_ that.” Zagreus says. “You are _more than_ worthy of being my consort. And if he cannot see that—,”

“It’s… _alright_. Really.” He’s known Thanatos long enough to know when he’s lying. 

“You’re allowed to be hurt by this, Than. You’re allowed to not be okay.” He says. “Chthonic or Olympian, a god is a god. And there’s no excuse for the way he talks about you, or any of your family.”

Than is silent for a long while, before offering, “Would you rather they all spoke of us—of _me_ —like Lord Ares?”

Zagreus snorts, “Considering that I’m half certain that Lord Ares wants to jump your bones, I’m going to have to say _no_.” He bats his mismatched eyes at him, “…Not that I can _blame_ him, of course.”

He wishes that he could do something more than offer his husband platitudes. He wishes that his father weren’t right about Zeus having his head shoved up his own ass. But… he doesn’t know how to make this better. Perspectives built over _eons_ are difficult to change, even when they’re so clearly wrong. And as much as he hates it, he knows that, should he try and _tell_ Zeus that he _needs_ to pull his head out of his ass, the thunder god will just brush him off as not knowing any better, having spent his whole life confined ‘down there’. You know—with the fake, would-be Queen, and the fearsome, bloodthirsty hound, and… You know what? Just thinking about it is making him angry. His mismatched eyes flit over to the boon, still floating in the far corner of the chamber—

He wonders, absently, if Zeus will take offense and withdraw his offer of aid before Zagreus cools down enough to accept his boon. Hells, he doesn’t really care at this point, so long as the doors open. 

“I’m sorry that you had to hear that.” Zagreus says after a long moment. He reaches out to twine his fingers with Than’s, “I just… I know that you won’t confess to being upset about this. So… let me be upset for the both of us, okay? I… I know there’s literally nothing I can do to make this better, to _fix_ this… so let me be mad.”

Thanatos’ golden eyes flicker down to where their hands are intertwined, “I suppose, if there’s no talking you out of it.”

Zagreus shakes his head, “You know how I am when something works it’s way under my skin—like Cerberus with a bone. I just need some time to calm down, that’s all.”

Than nods, “I… can’t stay for long.” Zagreus had suspected as much. He’d already stayed far longer than he normally would after one of their little competitions—and Zagreus has to admit, he’s grateful for it.

He manages a small smile, “This is more than enough.” 

“…You know, if someone _were_ to besmirch my honor…” Thanatos looks upward, the light of Ixion casting the entire chamber in a soft, blue-green glow. “I could ask for no better champion. Even if he is a bit bullheaded at times.”

Zagreus chuckles, “I’ll be your knight in shining armor, love. For all eternity.”


End file.
